PC knocks off Chicago State, 75-73

Ethan Kay’s three-pointer with 28 seconds remaining gave the Blue Hose the lead, while Reggie Dillard’s block with a second to go helped preserve the win, as the Presbyterian College men’s basketball team rallied to the 75-73 win over Chicago State in its final game of the Battle 4 Atlantis Mainland Tournament Friday afternoon in Baltimore, Md. Dillard led the Blue Hose with 20 points with Ethan Kay and Davon Bell finishing with 18 apiece.

Stat of the Game

Both teams were pretty evenly matched with CSU shooting 48.2% off a 27-of-56 effort from the field, while PC shot 43.4% and was 23-of-53. In a two-point game free throws played an important role with PC connecting on 16, compared to nine for CSU. PC held the rebound edge, 32-31 and had one less turnover, 13-14. The Blue Hose connected on 13-of-27 three-pointers, compared to 10-of-25 for the Cougars.

Blue Hose Player of the Game

While Reggie Dillard led the team with 20 points, Ethan Kay went six-of-11 from the perimeter, which included the game-winner, to post a career-high 18 points. Davon Bell recorded 18 points as well, with nine of them coming from the charity stripe. Francois Lewis led the team on the boards with seven. Fred Sims, Jr., led Chicago State with 26 points.

How It Happened

PC led all but the first minute of the first half, building as much as a 10-point lead with 2:35 to play off an Ethan Kay three-pointer. Chicago State scored six unanswered to make it a four-point game, but another Kay three-pointer with 46 ticks left made it a seven-point, 34-27 game at the half.

CSU outscored PC 13-5 to open the second half and tied the game at 40-40 with 14:27 remaining. Both teams battled the next several minutes with PC taking a one-point lead at 11:15 off a JC Younger three. A Montana Byrd three at the other end gave CSU back the lead, 53-51, 10:30 left. The Cougars held the lead the next eight minutes, leading by as much as five, 64-59. Five unanswered by PC knotted the game at 64-64. That would be the first of four ties over the next three minutes, the last at 71-71, 1:28 left.

A Deionte Simmons lay-up with 38 second left put CSU up by two, 73-71, but the Blue Hose came back 10 seconds later with a three by Kay to give PC the 74-73 lead. Younger hit one of his two free throw attempts with seven seconds left, setting up CSU for a final play. The Cougars were able to get a three-point attempt off with a second to go, but Dillard was there with the block to preserve the win.

Notables

Ethan Kay's career-high six three-pointers tied for fourth in the PC record book, his career-best 11 attempts tying for sixth.

The team's 13 three-point field goals made tied for sixth in the PC record book, the 27 attempts tied for 11th.

Ethan Kay recorded a career-high 18 points off a career-best six-of-11 from the field.

For the Record

PC improves to 2-5 overall, while Chicago State drops to 2-6.

Up Next

PC returns home for a Nov. 28, contest against UNCG. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.